With Hussaria II now in Tau hands their attention turned to its smaller cousin, Hussaria 3, which maintained an Imperial garrison and defence lasers. Hoping to avoid a protracted conflict heavy breakthrough cadres fresh from their victory on the landing fields of Hussaria II were airlifted up to the fleet and hurriedly resupplied on their journey to the third planet.
Although not ideally equipped to deal with static defences it was hoped that the speed of their redeployment and the blow to moral of losing the system's primary planet only days before would catch the human defenders still reeling from their misfortune.
In this they were to be disappointed. As they moved in on the Imperial defence lasers and shield generators they sighted massed ranks of Novgorod infantry supported by heavy armour. Fully committed the Tau battlesuits launched themselves into the Imperial lines and the two forces clashed in a brutal fire fight.
As both sides employed their heaviest weapons at point blank range casualties on both sides were catastrophic. Leman Russ tanks exploded and Riptides were brought down in a fusillade of plasma and small arms fire blazed around them. But in engaging the Novgorod in a battle of attrition the Tau were fighting on the Imperium's terms and they eventually found their fighting strength degraded to a point where it was impossible to make headway.
Realising there would be no quick victory on Hussaria 3 the Tau would have to play a longer game. Meanwhile the Imperium began the work of digging in and fortifying their positions. The Sky Lords had warned of the dangers of refusing to give up ground at any cost and the Imperium had lost all their forces on Hussaria II as a result of their stubbornness, but despite this setback the Novgorod's orders remained: Not one step back! Praise the Emperor and death to all Xenos!
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